Neck Pain

You turn your whole body to check a lane change. The stiffness that started at a desk now greets you every morning. Neck pain rarely announces a single cause — it accumulates, and it responds best to care that starts with a careful examination.

What’s actually going on

The cervical spine balances a 10-to-12-pound head on seven small vertebrae all day. Modern life points that head down at screens for hours, and the joints, discs and muscles register every one of them. Most neck pain is mechanical — joint restriction, muscle guarding, postural load — and evaluable with hands and orthopedic testing.

Common causes we see

• Sustained screen posture — 'tech neck' is a load problem, not a buzzword
• Sleeping position and pillow mechanics
• Joint restriction in the cervical or upper thoracic spine
• Stress carried as trapezius and levator tension
• Degenerative change — common with age and often manageable
• Old injuries (including whiplash) that never got evaluated

How we evaluate it

History, then a focused exam: cervical range of motion, orthopedic tests, neurological screening of the arms (strength, reflexes, sensation) to check whether a nerve is involved, and palpation to find the segments that aren't moving. If anything suggests more than a mechanical problem, we say so and refer appropriately.

How chiropractic care may help

Care may combine gentle, specific cervical adjustments — with lower-force options for patients who prefer them — plus soft-tissue work, physiotherapy modalities and posture-focused exercises. Many patients find meaningful relief over a short course of care; progress is re-measured rather than assumed.

What to expect

First visit runs about 45 minutes: history, exam, findings in plain English, and — when appropriate — first treatment the same day.

Mechanism reference: Kawchuk et al., PLOS ONE (2015) — real-time MRI of joint cavitation.